Slow Cooker French Onion Turkey Breast
Slow Cooker French Onion Turkey Breast
This Slow Cooker French Onion Turkey Breast is golden brown, incredibly juicy, and so tender it practically falls apart when you cut it. A large turkey breast cooks low and slow with savory French onion flavor, butter, and seasonings for an easy turkey dinner with very little hands-on work.
I made this recipe with a large fresh turkey breast from my local butcher. I’m pretty sure they had taken the two breasts off a large whole turkey and sold them together because this was definitely not one of the small packaged turkey breasts you typically find at the grocery store.
I cooked it in the slow cooker for about 12 hours, and when it was finished it was absolutely delicious. The outside was beautifully golden, the turkey was juicy and tender, and the meat was so soft that it fell apart when I tried to cut it.
If you’re using a smaller Butterball-style turkey breast from the grocery store, you can absolutely make this recipe with that, too. Just keep in mind that a smaller turkey breast will likely cook much faster than my extra-large butcher-cut turkey.
This is the kind of easy turkey recipe that’s perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, Sunday dinner, or anytime you want turkey without roasting an entire bird.
Why You’ll Love This French Onion Turkey Breast
Cooking turkey breast in the Crockpot is one of the easiest ways to keep it moist and tender.
The slow cooker holds in moisture while the turkey cooks, and the French onion flavors create a savory cooking liquid that makes the turkey even more delicious.
You’ll love this recipe because it’s:
- Easy to prepare
- Made in the slow cooker
- Tender and juicy
- Full of French onion flavor
- Perfect for Thanksgiving
- Great for a smaller holiday dinner
- Easier than roasting a whole turkey
- Delicious for leftovers
- Perfect with mashed potatoes and gravy
And if you can find a large fresh turkey breast at your local butcher, it’s a wonderful way to get plenty of white meat without dealing with an entire turkey.
Ingredients
- 1 large fresh turkey breast, approximately 6–8 pounds, or a smaller packaged turkey breast
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 packet French onion soup mix
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste
About the Turkey Breast
The turkey breast I used for this recipe was fresh from my local butcher.
It was considerably larger than the small packaged turkey breasts you often see in the freezer section. It appeared to be both breasts removed from a large whole turkey and kept together.
That’s important because the size of your turkey breast will determine how long it needs to cook.
If you buy a smaller Butterball turkey breast or another packaged turkey breast from the grocery store, you can still follow this recipe. You’ll simply need to begin checking the internal temperature much sooner.
Turkey is done when the thickest part of the breast reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
How to Make Slow Cooker French Onion Turkey Breast
Prepare the Slow Cooker
Slice the onion into thin pieces and spread them over the bottom of a large slow cooker.
Pour the chicken or turkey broth over the onions.
Add the Worcestershire sauce.
The onions will cook underneath the turkey and become incredibly soft and flavorful while also helping flavor the cooking liquid.
Season the Turkey
Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels.
In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, thyme, paprika, and black pepper.
Rub the seasoned butter all over the turkey breast.
If your turkey breast has skin, gently work some of the butter underneath the skin as well.
Sprinkle the French onion soup mix over the turkey, pressing it gently into the butter so the seasoning sticks.
Add the Turkey to the Crockpot
Place the seasoned turkey breast on top of the sliced onions.
For a skin-on turkey breast, position it skin-side up.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid.
How Long to Cook Turkey Breast in the Slow Cooker
Cooking time will vary significantly depending on the size and shape of your turkey breast and your particular slow cooker.
For a typical smaller turkey breast, begin checking for doneness after approximately 5–6 hours on LOW.
Larger turkey breasts can take considerably longer.
My fresh butcher-cut turkey breast was exceptionally large, and I cooked mine for approximately 12 hours. It came out golden brown, juicy, tender, and fall-apart delicious.
Don’t use 12 hours as the required cooking time for every turkey breast, though. A smaller turkey breast could be overcooked long before then.
The best way to determine when your turkey is ready is with a meat thermometer.
Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast without touching bone.
The turkey is safely cooked when it reaches 165°F.
Why Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Is So Tender
Turkey breast has a reputation for becoming dry, but the slow cooker makes it much easier to keep the meat juicy.
Instead of being exposed to the dry heat of an oven, the turkey cooks in a covered environment surrounded by steam and flavorful cooking juices.
The sliced onions release moisture as they cook, while the broth, butter, and turkey juices create an incredibly flavorful liquid at the bottom of the Crockpot.
By the time my large turkey breast finished cooking, it was so tender that trying to cut perfect slices was almost impossible.
It wanted to fall apart instead.
And that’s exactly how I like slow cooker turkey.
French Onion Flavor
French onion soup mix is an easy shortcut for giving turkey tons of savory flavor.
As the turkey cooks, the onion seasoning combines with the fresh sliced onion, butter, Worcestershire sauce, broth, and turkey drippings.
You end up with a rich, savory cooking liquid that’s perfect for spooning over the finished turkey.
Don’t throw that liquid away!
You can also turn it into an easy French onion turkey gravy.
How to Get a Golden Brown Turkey Breast
My turkey came out beautifully golden after its long cooking time, but slow cookers don’t always brown poultry the same way an oven does.
If your turkey is fully cooked but you’d like the skin more golden and crisp, you can finish it under the broiler.
Carefully transfer the cooked turkey breast to a baking sheet.
Brush the top with a little melted butter or some of the cooking juices.
Place it under the broiler for just a few minutes until the skin is golden brown.
Watch it constantly because it can go from golden to burned very quickly.
This step is completely optional.
Can I Use a Butterball Turkey Breast?
Yes.
You don’t need to find the same enormous fresh butcher-cut turkey breast I used.
A smaller packaged turkey breast works beautifully in this recipe.
Make sure it’s completely thawed before placing it in the slow cooker and check the package to see whether the turkey has already been seasoned or contains a salt solution.
If it does, be especially careful about adding additional salt.
Because a smaller turkey breast will cook faster, start checking the internal temperature much earlier than I did with my large fresh turkey breast.
Bone-In or Boneless Turkey Breast
Either can work for this recipe as long as it fits comfortably inside your slow cooker.
A bone-in turkey breast can be particularly flavorful and tends to stay juicy during cooking.
Boneless turkey breast is convenient and easier to carve.
The important thing isn’t whether it’s bone-in or boneless—it’s monitoring the internal temperature so you don’t overcook it.
Can You Put a Frozen Turkey Breast in the Slow Cooker?
I recommend completely thawing the turkey breast before slow cooking.
A large frozen piece of poultry can spend too much time warming through before reaching a safe cooking temperature.
Thaw your turkey breast safely in the refrigerator before making this recipe.
What to Serve with French Onion Turkey Breast
This turkey goes beautifully with classic holiday and comfort-food sides.
Try serving it with:
- Cream cheese mashed potatoes
- Homemade country gravy
- Green bean casserole
- French onion green bean casserole
- Stuffing
- Sweet potatoes
- Mac and cheese
- Dinner rolls
- Homemade biscuits
- Cranberry sauce
- Roasted carrots
- Hot honey glazed carrots
- Corn casserole
- Scalloped corn
- Mashed sweet potatoes
For an easy Sunday dinner, I’d keep it simple with mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and warm rolls.
Perfect for Thanksgiving
If you’re having a smaller Thanksgiving dinner or your family prefers white meat, cooking a turkey breast can make much more sense than preparing a whole turkey.
It also frees up valuable oven space.
While the turkey cooks in the slow cooker, your oven is available for stuffing, casseroles, rolls, pies, and all those other Thanksgiving dishes competing for space.
And because most of the work happens hours before dinner, there’s much less to do at the last minute.
What to Do With Leftover Turkey
This recipe is worth making just for the leftovers.
Use leftover French onion turkey for:
- Turkey sandwiches
- Turkey sliders
- Turkey and gravy
- Turkey pot pie
- Turkey noodle soup
- Turkey casserole
- Turkey salad
- Turkey wraps
- Turkey quesadillas
- Turkey tetrazzini
- Open-faced turkey sandwiches
The shredded fall-apart pieces are especially good piled onto a sandwich with gravy.
How to Store Leftover Turkey
Allow the turkey to cool and remove the meat from the bone.
Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate promptly.
For best quality and food safety, use refrigerated cooked turkey within 3–4 days.
Keep some of the cooking juices with the leftover turkey if possible. They’ll help keep the meat moist when reheating.
Can You Freeze Cooked Turkey Breast?
Yes.
Remove the meat from the bone and portion it into freezer-safe containers or freezer bags.
Add a small amount of the cooking liquid to help prevent the turkey from drying out.
Freeze for up to about 3 months for the best quality.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Recipe Notes
My turkey breast was a very large fresh butcher-cut breast and took approximately 12 hours in my slow cooker. It was golden brown, incredibly juicy, tender, and falling apart when I cut it.
Your turkey may cook much faster. Use the internal temperature rather than my 12-hour cooking time to determine doneness.
Turkey should reach 165°F in the thickest portion of the breast.
If you’re using a packaged turkey breast, check the label before adding salt. Many packaged turkeys are already seasoned or injected with a salt solution.
A bone-in or boneless turkey breast can be used as long as it fits properly in your slow cooker.
Use low-sodium broth because the French onion soup mix already adds salt.
For crispy skin, transfer the fully cooked turkey to a baking sheet and broil briefly before serving.
The Easiest French Onion Turkey Dinner
I love recipes like this because they’re proof that a really delicious turkey dinner doesn’t have to involve roasting an entire bird.
I started with that huge fresh turkey breast from my butcher, covered it in butter and seasonings, added plenty of French onion flavor, and let the slow cooker do the rest.
About 12 hours later, mine was golden brown and unbelievably tender. The meat was juicy and practically falling apart as I cut into it, with all those savory onion-flavored juices waiting at the bottom of the slow cooker.
Whether you make it with a big fresh butcher-cut turkey breast like I did or pick up a smaller turkey breast at the grocery store, this Slow Cooker French Onion Turkey Breast is an easy way to put a comforting turkey dinner on the table without roasting a whole turkey.
